Class 8: Movements

Mobilisation and movements

Opening notes

Presentation groups

Date Presenters Method
5 June: Rasmus B., Andre D., Josefine E., Ioanna L., Santiago C. surveys
12 June: Omar B., Lela E., Niclas W. network analysis
19 June: NO CLASS MEETING
26 June: Colombe I., Konstantin S., Jakob W., Veronika L. ethnography
26 June: Maksim K., Felix S., Jon L.D., Damir S., Korbinian M. case study
Date Presenters Method
3 July: Alexander V., Luis G., Oscar O., Mia C. descriptive inference
10 July: Lina S., Stephen W., Philomena B., Aarón Z. ethnography
17 July: Corinna Z., Eva M., and Rostislav N. TBD
24 July: Sebastian K., Thomas R., Emilia Z., Florian P. TBD
24 July: Lorenz F., Daniel B., Medina H. quant. text analysis
Presentations line-up
Date Presenters Method
15 May: Idil M., Zeynep P., Liesl W., Selin K., Chiara W. logistic regression
22 May: Gabriel W., Lina M., Florian S., Julian B. discourse analysis
29 May: NO CLASS MEETING

Social movement lens on the far right

  • overlap, interconnection with parties
    • movement-parties
    • parties with movement roots
    • collaboration of movements and parties
  • types of movement impacts
  • discussion: far-right movement goals that extend beyond political institutions

Movements and parties, overlaps and similarities

  • All sorts of constellations of movements and parties
  • Some far-right movement-parties, as discussed last week
  • Several major far-right parties have movement roots, e.g. Front National (Castelli Gattinara and Pirro 2019)
  • More importantly, whether movement or party, many far-right actors:
    • develop collective identities
    • frame issues
    • mobilise and strategically use resources
  • these and other social movement concepts can help understand lots of far-right activity

Movement impacts

Movement impacts

cultural

Movement impacts

political

cultural

Movement impacts

organisational

political

cultural

Movement impacts

individual

organisational

political

cultural

Movement impacts - individual

individual

  • did people who participated change? how?
    • interpersonal connections (likely future movement particiation)
  • did people who encountered the movement change? how?
    • different issue attention/focus? different attitudes?
  • participants, attitudinally: radicalised? disillusioned? behaviourally: more extreme? burnout?
  • onlookers responses: on immigration, culture? support/oppose?

Movement impacts

individual

organisational

political

cultural

Movement impacts - organisational

organisational

  • a targeted organisation?
    • changed behaviour? organisational decline?
  • the movement’s own (or connected) organisation(s)?
    • professionalisation, institutionalisation
    • new affiliate organisations (perhaps parties, businesses)
  • targeted organisation: e.g., changed (political) financing activity, policies (as with platforms content moderation), hindered org.’s activity

Movement impacts

individual

organisational

political

cultural

Movement impacts - political

political

  • have debates/discourse changed?

  • have policies or laws changed?

  • have dynamics between political actors changed?

  • have new political actors emerged because of the movement?

  • see Giugni, Mcadam, and Tilly (1999) and Amenta et al. (2010)

Movement impacts

individual

organisational

political

cultural

Movement impacts - cultural

cultural

  • have cultural/societal norms changed because of the movement? how?
    • are certain ideas, behaviours now acceptable or no longer acceptable in:
      • public opinion, lifestyle trends
      • media and popular culture
      • non-political institutions (e.g., research and education, religion)
  • see Amenta and Polletta (2019)
  • e.g., immigration views compared to two/three decades ago; acceptance of certain political rhetoric; approval of ‘strong man’ leadership in Western democracies

Movement impacts

individual

organisational

political

cultural

Far-right movement goals discussion

  • we have discussed far-right goals in institutional politics, but…

What are some goals of contemporary far-right movements that are not particular to institutional politics?

for many extra-institutional goals it is far-right movements (more than other actors) that have a major impact

A less likely case of far-right movement influence - the Istanbul Convention

  • international treaties - usually the realm of elite politics

  • more

  • not unique: Global Compact for Migration (Rone and Fielitz 2023)

  • far-right has profited like few others from a cultural shift/opening, won by movements more than parties

Poll: matters of FR mobilisation

A QR code for the survey.

Take the survey at https://forms.gle/LNPvbC4h9QbycWYL7

  • which year do you guess was far-right social mobilisation most frequent?

  • most prominent far-right protest issue?

  • most common far-right mobilisation form?

  • what to do when non-violent far-right demonstrations are met with disruptive, possibly violent counter-mobilisation?

  • should governments or state authorities be able to prohibit far-right demonstrations even if they are non-violent?

Most active year

Most prominent issue

Most common tactic/form

Mobilisation: periods, spaces, and issues (DE, IT, UK)

  • data from UK, Italy, Germany

Most active mobilisation in recent years

Italy
UK
Germany

Far-right demonstrations in Germany

  • Identified in gov. responses to parliamentary inquiries (Anfrage)
de_demos
# A tibble: 3,451 × 14
   Datum      Land    Ort   Veranstalter Anmelder Zuordnung Motto Teiln. Country
   <date>     <chr>   <chr> <lgl>        <lgl>    <chr>     <chr>  <dbl> <chr>  
 1 2005-01-15 Sachse… Magd… NA           NA       Neonazis… Bomb…   1000 Germany
 2 2005-01-15 Bayern  Nürn… NA           NA       Neonazis… Gege…     80 Germany
 3 2005-01-17 Meckle… Stra… NA           NA       NPD/JN    Gege…      8 Germany
 4 2005-01-18 Nordrh… Reck… NA           NA       Neonazis… Stop…     70 Germany
 5 2005-01-21 Baden-… Schw… NA           NA       Neonazis… Bürg…     30 Germany
 6 2005-01-22 Nordrh… Moers NA           NA       Neonazis… Nein…    100 Germany
 7 2005-01-23 Nordrh… Herne NA           NA       Neonazis… Gege…     30 Germany
 8 2005-01-26 Nordrh… Hamm  NA           NA       Neonazis… Kein…    160 Germany
 9 2005-01-28 Nordrh… Hamm  NA           NA       Neonazis… Gege…    110 Germany
10 2005-01-29 Schles… Kiel  NA           NA       Neonazis… Gege…    450 Germany
# ℹ 3,441 more rows
# ℹ 5 more variables: lat <dbl>, long <dbl>, Jahr <date>, Latitude <dbl>,
#   Longitude <dbl>

Far-right demonstrations in Germany

  • Identified in gov. responses to parliamentary inquiries (Anfrage)
de_demos %>% 
  mutate(month=floor_date(Datum, "month")) %>% 
  group_by(month) %>% summarise(Num=n())
# A tibble: 236 × 2
   month        Num
   <date>     <int>
 1 2005-01-01    13
 2 2005-02-01     1
 3 2005-03-01    13
 4 2005-04-01    15
 5 2005-05-01    20
 6 2005-06-01    12
 7 2005-07-01    13
 8 2005-08-01    20
 9 2005-09-01    23
10 2005-10-01    16
# ℹ 226 more rows

Far-right demonstrations in Germany

  • Identified in gov. responses to parliamentary inquiries (Anfrage)
de_demos %>% 
  mutate(month=floor_date(Datum, "month")) %>% 
  group_by(month) %>% summarise(Num=n()) %>% 
  ggplot(aes(x=month, y=Num))+ geom_bar(stat="identity")

Far-right demonstrations in Germany

de_demos %>% 
  mutate(month=floor_date(Datum, "month")) %>% 
  group_by(month) %>% summarise(Num=n()) %>% 
  ggplot(aes(x=month, y=Num))+ geom_bar(stat="identity")+
  scale_x_date("", labels=scales::date_format("%b %Y"), breaks="6 month",
            limits=c(min(as.Date(de_demos$Datum)),max(as.Date(de_demos$Datum))),expand=c(0,0))+
  theme_minimal()+ylab("")+
  theme(text=element_text(size=38),
        axis.text.x=element_text(angle=90, hjust=1, vjust=0.5))

Far-right demonstrations in Germany

library(tmap)
library(tidyverse)
library(sf)
library(rnaturalearth)
library(gganimate)
library(gifski)

de_demos$Jahr <- format(
  as.Date(de_demos$Jahr), format="%Y"
  )

de_demos_grouped <- de_demos %>% 
  group_by(Ort, Jahr, lat, long) %>%
  summarise(protests = n(),
            .groups = "drop")

de_demos_grouped <- as.data.frame(
  de_demos_grouped
  )

de_demos_grouped$Latitude <- de_demos_grouped$lat
de_demos_grouped$Longitude <- de_demos_grouped$long

de_demos_grouped_sf <- de_demos_grouped %>% 
  drop_na(lat)

de_demos_grouped_sf <- de_demos_grouped_sf %>% 
  st_as_sf(
    coords=c("long", "lat"),
    crs=st_crs("EPSG:32632") # CRS for DE
  )

DE = ne_states(returnclass="sf") |>
  filter(admin=="Germany") 

st_crs(de_demos_grouped_sf) <- st_crs(DE)

fr_prot_anim <- tm_shape(DE)+
  tm_polygons(fill="gold", 
              col="darkolivegreen")+
  tm_shape(de_demos_grouped_sf)+
  tm_bubbles(shape=21, 
             size="protests", 
             col="red", 
             scale=8, 
             alpha=0.5, 
             border.col="black")+
  tm_facets(pages="Jahr")+
  tm_layout(panel.label.size=4, 
            panel.label.color='black',
            panel.label.bg.color='grey', 
            panel.label.height=3,
            legend.text.size=1.5)
tmap_animation(
  fr_prot_anim, 
  filename = "fr_prot_anim.gif",
  delay = 50, 
  width = 1200, height = 1200
)

Far-right demonstrations in Italy

FARPO %>% 
  filter(Country_string=="Italy") %>% 
  mutate(month=floor_date(Date, "month")) %>% 
  group_by(month) %>% summarise(Num=n()) %>% 
  ggplot(aes(x=month, y=Num))+ geom_bar(stat="identity")+
  scale_x_date("", labels=scales::date_format("%b %Y"), breaks="6 month",
            limits=c(min(as.Date(FARPO$Date)),max(as.Date(FARPO$Date))),expand=c(0,0))+
  theme_minimal()+ylab("")+
  theme(text=element_text(size=38),
        axis.text.x=element_text(angle=90, hjust=1, vjust=0.5))

Far-right demonstrations in Italy

Far-right demonstrations in the UK

frgb %>% 
  mutate(month=floor_date(Date, "month")) %>% 
  group_by(month) %>% summarise(Num=n()) %>% 
  ggplot(aes(x=month, y=Num))+ geom_bar(stat="identity")+
  scale_x_date("", labels=scales::date_format("%b %Y"), breaks="6 month",
            limits=c(min(as.Date(frgb$Date)),max(as.Date(frgb$Date))),expand=c(0,0))+
  theme_minimal()+ylab("")+
  theme(text=element_text(size=38),
        axis.text.x=element_text(angle=90, hjust=1, vjust=0.5))

Far-right demonstrations in the UK

Issues (FARPO - all countries)

f_iss1 <- FARPO %>% 
  group_by(Issue1_string) %>% 
  summarise(Num=n()) %>% 
  as.data.frame() %>% 
  rename(Issue=Issue1_string)

f_iss2 <- FARPO %>% 
  group_by(Issue2_string) %>% 
  summarise(Num=n()) %>% 
  as.data.frame() %>% 
  rename(Issue=Issue2_string)

f_iss3 <- FARPO %>% 
  group_by(Issue3_string) %>% 
  summarise(Num=n()) %>% 
  as.data.frame() %>% 
  rename(Issue=Issue3_string)

merged_iss <- purrr::reduce(list(f_iss1, f_iss2, f_iss3), 
                            function(x, y) merge(x, y, by="Issue", all=TRUE))

iss_final <- merged_iss %>%
  group_by(Issue) %>%
  summarise(Num=sum(coalesce(Num.x, 0), coalesce(Num.y, 0), coalesce(Num, 0))) %>% 
  slice(-1:-11) %>% 
  as.data.frame()

library(ggwordcloud)

set.seed(1)
ggplot(iss_final, aes(label=Issue, size=Num, color=Num)) +
  geom_text_wordcloud() +
  scale_size_area(max_size=10) +
  theme_minimal()+
  scale_color_gradient(low="blue", high="red")
  

Far-right mobilisation under left- and right-wing governments

  • Koopmans and Rucht (1995): data on protests 1975-1979 in France, Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany (1950-1991) – represents 15 different governmental constellations (left, right, mixed)
    • far-right protest increases under left-wing governments
    • left-wing protest increases under right-wing governments
    • mixed governments see the highest overall protest levels

Far-right mobilisation amid left- and right-wing party politics

  • Hutter (2014): data from Western Europe
    • far-right protest decreases when far-right parties are well-established, strong
      • substitution effect: electoral participation replaces street politics
  • Torcal, Rodon, and Hierro (2016): 2002-2010 ESS data (much of EU space) on protest participation
    • far-right protest slightly higher under right-wing governments

Far-right mobilisation in context

  • seems heavily influenced by conditions of political exclusion
  • ideological posture of government matters—but not deterministic
    • movements respond not just to posture abstractly, but also to actual specific treatment
      • gov. tolerance/encouragement can increase far-right protest
      • gov. hostility/repressive action can suppress or provoke far-right protest
  • institutionalisation of far-right parties may reduce protest activity

Poll results - prohibition

  • Should governments or state authorities be able to prohibit far-right demonstrations even if they are non-violent?

Poll results - amid disruptive counter-mobilisation

  • What should authorities do when non-violent far-right demonstrations are met with disruptive, possibly violent counter-mobilisation (e.g., from anti-fascist activists)?

Any questions, concerns, feedback for this class?

Anonymous feedback here: https://forms.gle/pisUmtmWdE13zMD58

Alternatively, send me an email: m.zeller@lmu.de

References

Amenta, Edwin, Neal Caren, Elizabeth Chiarello, and Yang Su. 2010. “The Political Consequences of Social Movements.” Annual Review of Sociology 36 (1): 287–307. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-120029.
Amenta, Edwin, and Francesca Polletta. 2019. “The Cultural Impacts of Social Movements.” Annual Review of Sociology 45: 279–99. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-073018.
Castelli Gattinara, Pietro, and Andrea L. P. Pirro. 2019. “The Far Right as Social Movement.” European Societies 21 (4): 447–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2018.1494301.
Giugni, Marco, Doug Mcadam, and Charles Tilly. 1999. How Social Movements Matter. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Hutter, Swen. 2014. Protesting Culture and Economics in Western Europe: New Cleavages in Left and Right Politics. Vol. 41. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Koopmans, Ruud, and Dieter Rucht. 1995. “Social Movement Mobilization Under Right and Left Governments: A Look at Four West European Countries.” Berlin: Das Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung.
Rone, Julia, and Maik Fielitz. 2023. “‘Stop the Pact‘! The Foreign Policy Impact of the Far-Right Campaigning Against the Global Compact for Migration.” Geopolitics, October, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2023.2260314.
Torcal, Mariano, Toni Rodon, and María José Hierro. 2016. “Word on the Street: The Persistence of Leftist-dominated Protest in Europe.” West European Politics 39 (2): 326–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2015.1068525.